I'm torn between a reaction of "Aw crap" and "not remotely surprised" - James has been dreadfully underused, even his big storyline, "a dramatic spell in prison for a crime he didn't commit" wound up being more about Natasha, Nathan and Maisie than it did about Ryan! And with Kim Thomson (who plays his mother, Faye) announcing her departure a couple of weeks ago, the writing was very much on the wall.